1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in solderless electrical connectors to afford the same greater integrity and in one aspect to the improved mechanical locking features for the cap to hold the same to the base member for shipping and handling prior to the making of a splice.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is directed at an improvement of the solderless connector described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,018. With the making of a new connector of a less rigid material like a polyolefin, attention was directed at making the connector hold together when connecting two or more wires with the same integrity as the older version of the connector which was made of a stiff polycarbonate material. The new material provided a connector which was more durable in splicing cables. However, with connectors made of the softer more pliable polyolefin material, problems were encountered in that the caps were not staying on the base when excessive force was applied to the cap after being assembled on the base member prior to forming a splice connection. Cap retention is a problem in the industry and attempts are made to retain the caps so they do not become dislodged from the base member under typical handling circumstances.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem of the caps becoming separated from the base members during normal handling situations.
The prior art is replete with patents utilizing the invention of the insulation displacing wire connection as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No, 3,012,219. The patent literature provides some patents concerned with cap retention on connector bodies. U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,971 illustrates a connector wherein the base member is provided with latching projections which interact with other latching projections on the cap to define the open and the closed positions. Other patents do show the use of ribs formed on the cap and body to retain the same in various latched positions, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,326,767 and 4,496,206. In each instance the ribs extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cap.
The present invention affords a solution to the problem without changing the size, shape or outside appearance of the connector product.